Diabetes Board decisions

The Board has denied service connection for various conditions including bilateral knee, hip, and foot disorders, obstructive sleep apnea, asthma, and an acquired psychiatric disorder. The evidence does not support a finding that these conditions were incurred or aggravated by military service.

The Veteran's service-connected COPD is granted, and his secondary service connection for diabetes mellitus to include as secondary to COPD is also granted.,A rating in excess of 20 percent for the Veteran's left leg disability (residuals, fracture left proximal fibula with traumatic arthritis left ankle and degenerative arthritis, chondrocalcinosis and osteophyte of the left knee) is denied.

Service connection for diabetes mellitus and prostate cancer is granted on a presumptive basis due to herbicide exposure. The claims of service connection for other conditions are remanded.

The Veteran's diabetes mellitus, type II is currently rated at 20 percent since July 3, 2019. Prior to that date, the rating was denied as he did not require insulin or oral hypoglycemic agents for his condition.

The Veteran's carcinoma of the larynx, heart disability (including IHD, PVD, and dyslipidemia), and diabetes mellitus type II are granted as service connected due to herbicide exposure during his service in Thailand.

The Board has dismissed the Veteran's claims for service connection for heart disease, prostate cancer, and diabetes mellitus as secondary to herbicide exposure due to his death.

The Veteran's claims for higher initial ratings and earlier effective dates for service-connected right and left lower extremity diabetic peripheral neuropathy are being remanded due to pre-decisional duty to assist errors.

The Board denied service connection for ischemic heart disease and diabetes mellitus, type II due to lack of evidence linking these conditions to active duty or exposure to herbicide agents. The Veteran's claims were not supported by credible evidence.

The Veteran's application for S-DVI was denied because he had a history of stroke, which is not considered 'good health' under VA standards. The Board has ordered remand to comply with the requirements set forth in the Veterans Benefits Manual (M29-1) and ensure proper notification.

The Board has remanded the case due to a duty to assist error and will need to obtain a VA opinion regarding whether diabetes first manifested during service. The appellant contends that diabetes caused or contributed to the Veteran's death.

The Veteran's prostate cancer and type 2 diabetes are granted as secondary to in-service exposure to herbicide agents, including Agent Orange.

The Board has remanded several claims for further development, including those related to hearing loss, tinnitus, skin conditions, diabetes mellitus type 2, right eye blindness, hypertension, cancer of the jaw, and an acquired psychiatric disability. The issues are being remanded due to duty-to-assist errors.

The Board has denied service connection for various conditions including bilateral hearing loss, hypertension, coronary artery disease (claimed as a heart condition), diabetes mellitus, type II, kidney disability, cervical spine disability, back disability, right hip disability, left hip disability, right shoulder disability, left shoulder disability, right elbow disability, left elbow disability, right ankle disability, left ankle disability, right foot disability, left foot disability, and right knee disability. The Board found no evidence of in-service onset or relationship to service for these conditions.

The Veteran's diabetes mellitus type II and ischemic heart disease are granted on a direct basis. The Veteran's diabetic glaucoma is remanded for further evaluation.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for diabetes mellitus type II, Parkinson's disease, and diabetic peripheral neuropathy in both upper and lower extremities are granted.

The Board has granted service connection for type II diabetes mellitus, hypertension, and erectile dysfunction (ED) as presumptively related to exposure to herbicides during service in Thailand. The claims are based on the PACT Act of 2022 which added a presumption of herbicide agent exposure for Veterans who served at U.S. or Royal Thai military bases in Thailand from January 9, 1962, through June 30, 1976.

The Veteran's claim for a higher disability rating for other specified trauma and stressor related disorder was denied. The effective date of TDIU was granted from December 16, 2013, based on the service-connected disabilities. Basic eligibility for Dependents' Educational Assistance (DEA) was also granted from December 16, 2013.

The Board granted service connection for coronary artery disease and right lower extremity and left lower extremity peripheral neuropathy, but denied effective dates prior to the date of claim or the date entitlement arose.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for hypertension, to include as secondary to his service-connected diabetes mellitus because the submitted evidence did not provide new and relevant information that could change the outcome of the case.

The Veteran's TDIU and DEA benefits are granted with an effective date of November 1, 2019. The Board found the Veteran was unable to engage in substantially gainful employment due to his service-connected disabilities as of this date.